Concerning his statement,

وَجَعَلَنِي مُبَارَكًا أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُ ...

And He has made me blessed wherever I be,

Mujahid, `Amr bin Qays and Ath-Thawri all said that this means,

"And He made me a teacher of goodness.''

In another narration from Mujahid, he said,

"A person of great benefit.''

Ibn Jarir reported from Wuhayb bin Al-Ward, a freed slave of the Bani Makhzum tribe, that he said,

"A scholar met another scholar who had more knowledge than himself. So he said to him, `May Allah have mercy upon you, what acts of mine should I perform openly!'

The other replied, `Commanding good and forbidding evil, for verily, it is the religion of Allah, which He sent His Prophets with to His servants.'

The scholars have indeed agreed upon the statement of Allah, وَجَعَلَنِي مُبَارَكًا أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُ (And He has made me blessed wherever I be),

Then it was said, `What was his blessing?'

He (Wuhayb) replied, `Commanding good and forbidding evil wherever he was.'''

His saying,

... وَأَوْصَانِي بِالصَّلَاةِ وَالزَّكَاةِ مَا دُمْتُ حَيًّا ﴿٣١﴾

and He has enjoined on me (Awsani) Salah and Zakah, as long as I live.

This is similar to the statement of Allah to Muhammad,

وَاعْبُدْ رَبَّكَ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَكَ الْيَقِينُ

And worship your Lord until there comes unto you the certainty (i.e. death). (15:99)

Abdur-Rahman bin Al-Qasim reported from Malik bin Anas that he commented on Allah's statement, وَأَوْصَانِي بِالصَّلَاةِ وَالزَّكَاةِ مَا دُمْتُ حَيًّا (and He has enjoined on me (Awsani) Salah and Zakah, as long as I live). He said,

"Allah informed him of what would be of his affair until his death. This is the firmest evidence against the people who deny Allah's preordained decree.''